


A year to remember

by reveetoile



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26799250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reveetoile/pseuds/reveetoile
Summary: Ohno and Nino look back on an entire year together. It can be taken as a continuation of “Early Morning”.https://archiveofourown.org/works/24978994
Relationships: Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohno Satoshi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	A year to remember

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DaisukiDesu3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisukiDesu3/gifts).



> Happy Birthday, Sharon. I hope you had a great day.

**One Month**

Ohno followed Nino slowly, making the other laugh as he dragged him behind himself.

“Don’t be so nervous.”

“I am allowed to be nervous. You ran when we went to my parent’s home.”

“That was because you didn’t warn me.”

“I didn’t warn you because you wouldn’t have come,” Ohno snorted, and Nino pouted slightly, but knew that he couldn’t really argue. It was the truth, after all. He would have made up all kinds of excuses as to not go with Ohno if he had known beforehand that they would visit his family. 

In the end, everything had gone well. Ohno’s family was just as loving and comfortable as Ohno was. There had been no bad words or anything, but Ohno’s parents have greeted him with open arms and as if he was already their son in law. It had been utterly confusing, but it had also made his heart lighten, and he had been delighted to be welcomed in such a way. 

Now he was looking forward to their next meeting since Ohno’s mother had promised him to look for Ohno’s baby pictures. And he was sure they would be embarrassing for Ohno while at the same time adorable.

“Mum will get along with you. Or you with mum, whatever. But there is no need to be nervous. She won’t bite you.”

“Why do we have to meet in a restaurant?”

“Because she works there,” Nino said patiently. “And she won’t be happy if we wait until we are all free because then it would be late. How would your mother react if we told her about us after three months?”

Ohno grimaced. It wouldn’t have been that pretty as their initial meeting, probably. 

“But if she works there she can get to the knives and then she could hurt me.”

“She would never use her beloved chef’s knives for anything else than preparing food. Don’t be such a scaredy-cat. One could think you fear me as well.”

“Sometimes…” Ohno said, and Nino glared at him when Ohno was giggling and shook his head. 

“No, of course, you are not scary,” he agreed, and Nino huffed as he finally managed to push Ohno into the restaurant. 

“Welcome!” he heard the waiter say and grinned at her over Ohno’s shoulder. 

“Hey, I’m meeting, mum. She said to be here around that time since lunch rush would be over?”

“I go tell her. Do you want something to drink?”

“Green tea, what about you, Oh-chan?”

“The same,” Ohno mumbled as Nino led him to a table at the corner. He sighed and hoped that everything would go well. 

His mouth dropped open when a pretty looking woman appeared with plates filled with food in front of them. She had the same face and smile as she put the dishes down. 

Nino jumped to his feet to hug the woman around the neck and grinned brightly as he turned to Ohno. “Oh-chan, meet my mum, Ninomiya Kazuko. Mum, this is my Oh-chan.”

“Ohno Satoshi, nice to meet you,” Ohno stuttered, very sure that he would have mistaken this woman as either Nino himself or as his sister, but never as his mother, deciding that she had to have gotten pregnant pretty young. He tried to clear his mind and keep up with the fast conversation Nino and his mother had and answering her questions without embarrassing himself thoroughly.

**Two Months**

Ohno yelled as Nino pushed something in front of his face. He jumped backwards, swearing when the hot pot landed on his foot. Thankfully it was already empty, and he did not make a big mess on the kitchen floor. 

He glared at Nino who looked a bit surprised at his reaction but couldn’t help himself as he giggled and hid his face in his hands. 

“God, you are hilarious.”

“Yeah, very funny, haha. What the hell is that?”

“A chicken foot,” Nino said with a grin on his face. 

Ohno visibly shuddered as Nino waved the food and almost gagged. 

“Put that away.”

“Sorry, sorry. But it makes me wonder.”

“What if you are a sadist? Let me answer that for you: Yes.”

Nino stuck out his tongue and then grinned devilishly. Ohno snorted slightly. Yeah, he had already learnt that Nino was a brat and could think of horrible jokes. He had always considered himself to be a relatively calm person when it came to pranks, but Nino still found a way to make him react. And he enjoyed it. 

“No, but you eat everything. But you are squeamish when your food has a form,” he said more calmly now as he checked the broth that Ohno had filled into the hotpot to take over to his living room. They were waiting for a few of Nino’s and Ohno’s friends, and Ohno was honestly a bit nervous. 

It would be the first evening of them altogether since they had gotten together, and Ohno just prayed that they would get along with each other. 

Ohno knew that it would not change their budding relationship but… but it would make it so much harder if they could not meet up in a larger group. He was already glad that he got the approved of Nino’s two best friends (or really he had to work for just Jun. Aiba already greeted him with open arms and luckily for him Jun seemed to be fond of him). And Sho trusted him enough not to say anything wrong about anybody he would choose. 

Their parents were okay with their choices. Ohno was sometimes not so sure how much of the things Kazuko told him were real and how much were jokes. She was even worse than her son, but he knew that his parents loved Nino. Which was easy it seemed. Regardless of where they went, if there were older people, they were instantly smitten by Nino, and he would always get extra treats. It was crazy (but also cute). 

“It looks… I dunno. I like fishes better, and they don’t have crazy feet or beaks or anything.”

Nino snorted and made sure to re-arrange the food they would offer for the hotpot more beautifully. “But bones make a good soup base.”

“Still, I would prefer you would not wave them in front of my eyes,” Ohno said, still feeling slightly ill to the stomach. 

Nino observed him for a long while and then carefully stepped closer. “I’m sorry, please don’t hate me?” he asked with big eyes and a wobbling lip. 

And even if Ohno knew it was partly acted there was no way he could stay mad at that adorable face. 

“I could never hate you. I love you way too much for that,” he whispered, enjoying the warmth suddenly radiating from Nino as he hugged him closer and kissed the top of his nose. Sometimes Nino made him wonder. But that was okay. He liked these kinds of mysteries.

**Three Months**

“I’m sorry,” Jun said as he appeared at their table after the wedding reception. 

Nino rolled his eyes but smiled at him. “Congratulations,” he said with a hum. “The ceremony was great.”

Ohno beside him nodded as well and stood to congratulate Jun. The other man grinned happily, it was hard for him to hide how happy he was that he had been able to marry the one girl he had ever really loved finally. 

“And what are you sorry for? Stupid. Thank you for allowing me to bring Oh-chan.”

Ohno nodded again beside Nino with happy eyes as he sat down and took Nino’s hands in his own. He had been very surprised when Nino called half a week ago to ask if he was free today. 

He had known that Nino would be at Jun’s wedding, so it had been very confusing for him for the second he feared that something was wrong with Jun and that the marriage had been cancelled. He was even more confused and surprised when Nino had explained, that no, the wedding was still happening but that Jun had made it possible for him to bring one more guest even if he had told Jun half a year ago that he would be alone. 

As it was the table they were at with the rest of Nino’s and Jun’s friends has initially been only for five persons. His chair had been added to it so that they had a bit less space individually than the rest of the guests, but it was not by much, and it only really was a hurdle at the start of the reception when the food had been brought out. 

“It’s a tight fit,” Jun mumbled. “I saw you struggling during your meal.”

“It was fine, right?” Nino asked the others who nodded, and Aiba grinned as he took that as permission to jump up and hug Jun tightly, weeping on his shoulders. 

“I’m sooo happy for you MatsuJun!”

“There, there,” Jun said a bit awkwardly as he patted his head. “How much drink did you have?”

“Half of the bottle of champagne. He was sobbing and telling us how nervous he was,” Nino said with a grin. 

Jun rolled his eyes and tried to push Aiba back before looking at them. “A little help would be appreciated,” he mumbled, and Nino smiled as he took his hands lose from Ohno’s grip as he helped Jun to loosen Aiba’s grip around his shoulders and they sat down together. 

“J needs to greet the other guests. And I’m sure he would prefer someone else hugging him,” he said with a wink. Aiba sniffled but nodded. 

“Our MatsuJun has grown up, Nino~ Look how big he has gotten,” he whined. 

Jun rolled his eyes and patted Ohno’s shoulder. “That’s my cue to leave. Have fun with that drunkard,” he teased.

Ohno grinned and listened to Nino calm Aiba down until the other was able to collect himself and go to talk to other people. 

“Thank you,” Nino whispered when they were finally alone at the table. He knew he would have been fine alone, but it was nice to have Ohno close. 

Ohno smirked and kissed his ear, before taking his hand in his own and lean halfway against him. “It’s nice,” he mumbled, and Nino agreed. It was great that he got to share this with his new lover. 

**Four Months**

Nino shuddered as they stepped up to the beach and pulled down the sleeves of his sweatshirt. He couldn’t believe that Ohno was running around in shorts and a thin shirt right now. 

But Ohno had told him that for the beach only these kind of clothes made sense. 

In general, Nino still couldn’t believe that Ohno convinced him to go on a vacation together. And to top it off to a beach. But Ohno had looked so hopeful and with big eyes that it had been hard for him to say no. 

“Nino, look, isn’t the water beautiful?” Ohno called, and Nino blinked as he looked up. Ohno was a few steps in front of him, looking at the horizon and water in wonder. Nino shook his head with a small smile at the sight. In his mind, nothing could beat the beauty of Ohno’s bright grin paired with the happiness radiating from him. 

“It’s cold and windy.”

Ohno shrugged and came back to tug at his sleeve and force Nino to walk further onto the beach, his feet finally hitting the sand. At least, Nino thought as the sand ran over his toes because of the sandals he had agreed to wear instead of shoes, it was not blazing hot. He probably would have hated this even more if it were so. 

“Summer vacations were not possible this year,” he mumbled, and Nino hummed. He knew that, and it was his fault. At his workplace, the men and women with children had been allowed to take time off during that. 

Nino never minded that. Vacations usually meant for him to stay at home all the time and play his games. If there was a game, he looked particularly forward he would try to take time off around the release date. But with Ohno in the equation… There was no way Ohno would allow him to huddle in his flat and be alone all the time. He had been proud when he told Nino that he got the same dates off and they could go somewhere. 

Nino had been hesitant then. Their first vacation… Days together in a foreign environment always close and with not any possibilities of hiding from each other for a small while. It had sounded scary and impossible. 

And Nino was still waiting for their first big fight. He even feared that one day Ohno would wake up and tell him that he was wrong and that he was not in love with Nino as much as he always thought. But so far it had not come yet. Four months and already, Nino knew that it would be hard for him to go back to sleeping alone when they were back home. And he was scared at the thought of Ohno not only an arm’s length away when he wanted to take his hand. 

“Nino~” Ohno sang, pulling him out of his thoughts and Nino looked up again. “You are daydreaming. Is it a nice dream, at least?”

Nino chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t know. Sorry, what were you saying?”

“The waves are beautiful, right? It’s as if the ocean wants to draw you in.”

“I won’t allow it,” Nino mumbled. 

Ohno tilted his head as he looked at him and then giggled. “Me neither. Let’s take a picture, and then we walk down the shore. I saw a very good looking restaurant down there, and we can have lunch there.”

“Alright.”

**Five Months**

“Come over,” Ohno said and frowned when Nino whined over the phone.

“Don’t wanna. I don’t want to move. Come over here.”

Ohno snorted slightly as he looked around his apartment. He had cleaned already for a relaxing afternoon with Nino and even prepared food for them already. 

“I cooked,” he said in the end. 

Nino snorted. “Bring it over then.”

“No, I want you to come over. Come on. We always meet at yours.”

“I know,” Nino giggled. “That way I can throw you out if it gets too late.”

“Oh is that so?”

“Yup.”

“I wondered. Especially considering how many nights I spend at yours.”

“You’re just lucky.”

“Please come over. Just today?”

Nino sighed and nibbled his lips. It wasn’t as if he didn’t like Ohno’s apartment. It was very comfortable in general, but it was not his own. He always felt a bit strange in other homes. 

“It’s my birthday,” Ohno whispered, and Nino’s eyes widened. 

“No way!” He cried out. “How? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you crazy? Do you know how bad this makes me seem? Five months and I don’t know when your birthday is?”

“I didn’t know yours until it was over,” Ohno reminded him and sighed. “Sorry, please don’t panic over it. I wouldn’t have mentioned it, but I want you to come over.”

Nino sighed. “I have no present,” he whispered, and Ohno felt instantly bad at how small Nino’s voice sounded. 

“Just come, okay?”

There was no answer, but there didn’t need to be any for Ohno as his doorbell rang. He ended the call and stood to open the door. He looked at Nino fondly as the younger man stood in front of it, shuffling his feet nervously as he stared at the floor. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“You being here is enough,” Ohno said, holding him around the wrist to pull him inside. Nino went without resistance as Ohno pulled him further into his flat and hugged him tightly. “I love you.”

Nino leant against him, folding in himself, but it was still not enough for him to hide his red ears. “I love you as well,” Nino mumbled almost inaudibly, and Ohno grinned as he hugged him even tighter to kiss the top of his hair. 

“Sorry I was unfair to bring you over.”

“Is it really your birthday?”

“Yup, but I normally don’t celebrate it.”

“So you didn’t lie,” Nino said with a pout and Ohno shook his head. He would never lie to him because, in the end, it would not make anything better. 

He dragged Nino inside to his living room, and they sat in front of the small coffee table where Ohno had already put tea. He poured some for Nino and stretched out. 

He watched as Nino slowly relaxed again and ruffled his hair. 

“I can show you a magic trick?” Nino offered, pulling out some cards. “It’s a hit with little kids.”

Ohno nodded and sat up a bit straighter. “Yes, please.”

Nino grinned as he shuffled the cards in his fingers and as Ohno watched the eager smile on his face together with his clever fingers, he thought that this day was perfect as it was.

**Six Months**

Ohno was running late. He knew he was late and he had already called Nino to warn him. His lover, bless his heart, had only laughed at his apologies and told him to hurry up or he would find another Christmas date. 

At least, he hadn’t sounded angry, Ohno thought. He moved from one foot to the other as he glared at the red light of the traffic light waiting for it to turn so that he was allowed to cross. 

Ohno was waiting just across the street in the middle of that damn park. Whose idea has it been to have a Christmas date outside, to begin with? Ohno thought a bit miserably. If they had met at one of their flats, it would have been easy for him to run back because he forgot that present for Nino. 

As it was, he had to run half the city back to get it and now instead of early, as he had hoped he was late. And not the kind of delay that was considered fashionable. Not that Nino was the type of person who thought that such a thing exist. 

If they said to meet at a specific time, it was at that time, not early nor late. For Ohno who was often late, because he got distracted so quickly, it had been hard at the beginning to get used to this, but he had gotten used to it, and until now Nino would always forgive his tardiness with a small smile on his face. 

Maybe tonight he had done it, Ohno thought miserably. And that when originally this night should have been one of the most memorable nights in their relationship so far. It was Christmas after all. Perfect for dates all between other happy couples. He had looked so much forwards to it. 

Ah right… Of course, that reminded him that it had been his idea to meet at the small Christmas light installation in the park because it had sounded perfect and romantic for their first Christmas together. Nino had laughed, telling him that they didn’t need to have romance and that they were fine as they were. But Ohno had wanted to make it unique, and now he was the one to ruin it. 

Finally, Nino came into view as Ohno rounded the last corner. He came to a skidding halt as his eyes took Nino in silent awe. His cheeks were slightly red from the cold, but he was looking around with a smile. A smile that just deepened when his eyes caught Ohno’s form. The lights around him accented him prettily, and the way he hugged a big gift bag made him like someone right out of a movie. 

“There you are,” Nino greeted. “You are late, that means you have to pay,” he scolded, but there was amusement in his voice, and Ohno just knew that Nino was not really mad at him. 

He sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “But I forgot your present and needed to go back.”

“You could’ve given it to me at home,” Nino reminded him with a giggle. 

Ohno shrugged uncomfortably, as he held the box a bit more tighter. Somehow it felt right to give it to Nino over dinner, he thought.

**Seven Months**

Ohno stared at Nino as the other man was bowed low over the contract. He moved his lips in silence as he read it over to check if everything was like they had been told. 

He hummed and frowned slightly as he came to almost the end and Ohno held his breath. He was nearly scared that Nino would find something wrong with the contract. 

“Everything okay?” Ohno asked, and Nino blinked. 

“Yes. Sorry was I scaring you?” he joked, and Ohno pouted as he nodded. 

“You were so hesitant at all the apartment we looked at. I thought you liked it.” 

“I still do. I can’t believe fully we are moving in together though,” Nino said with a chuckle. “To be honest, it was a bizarre present to get a coupon for a new bed on Christmas.”

Ohno smirked as he shrugged. “Well, at least that should be a new one. And I know you want to bring as many of our things to the new one as possible.”

“Yes, they are still completely fine and throwing them out makes no sense. Besides, we don’t have the money for so many new things.”

Ohno hummed as he nodded in agreement. The other was right after all, but still, it was a nice dream to have. 

“So what is wrong with the contract.”

“Nothing. I told you.”

“Yes but the frown on your face says otherwise,” Ohno said with a small chuckle when said frown deepened. 

“It’s nothing, really,” Nino said in the end and turned the contract to point at the paragraph he had read. “It just says that we could pay less in the first instalment if we renovate the apartment ourselves.”

Ohno’s eyes widened, and he looked at Nino with excitement. “But that is great! We can make it ours that way and chose the colours and everything. I want to do that.”

“Painting is hard work,” Nino whined. “And I’m already so tired after my work hours in the supermarket.”

“I can paint. It’s not that hard. And we can do most on the weekends. We get the keys early if we do it ourselves, right?”

“Yes,” Nino agreed. “But we can’t move in right away. Because there is no way, I will move in that apartment when it’s not even halfway done.”

Ohno hummed wrinkled his nose at the words. “You can move in with me?” he offered then hesitantly. Because he knew that the biggest problem for Nino was that his contract would be up before they probably finished all the renovations on their own. If professionals did it, the chances were higher that it was done in time. 

Ohno’s contract would be up only a month later. Nino had whined about them having to pay two rents for a month, but right now it seemed to be in their luck. 

“We can’t put my things in your flat,” Nino reminded him with a sigh. 

Ohno hummed in thought and put his chin on Nino’s shoulder as he peeked in the contract. He wanted to sign it already. 

“We could do the rooms where your furniture goes first or at least the parts where it will stand or just put it all right in the middle of the rooms and pull a cloth over them to safe them from paint or whatever.

Nino played with the pen and Ohno kissed his cheek. 

“Pretty please? I really want this.”

Nino smiled and then squeezed his hands as he finally agreed with a sigh. He put his signature on the right line and with a shout of joy, Ohno did the same, before Nino could change his mind.

**Eight Months**

Nino felt giddy as he put the paint can down and looked over to where Ohno was sitting. His tongue was peaking out as he concentrated on the skirting boards. He had a tiny brush in his hand and was painting them in a colour that was just a bit lighter than the rest of the paint they had chosen for the wall. 

Ohno moved his shoulders from time to time since he was hunched over and it hurt, but he was not stopping until he was finished with his part. 

Nino smiled as he came closer to the other and hugged him from behind. 

“Hey,” Ohno whispered, making him giggle. 

“Hey,” he answered and kissed his cheek. “It looks good.”

“Thank you,” Ohno said, grinning brightly at the praise. “Good enough for you to take me out for dinner?”

“Uhn, I suppose,” Nino agreed. “Do you think it’s safe to keep the windows open?”

“Over night?”

Nino nodded as he buried his face in Ohno’s neck. He still couldn’t believe that fate had brought this sleepy-looking, very gentle man to his doorstep that one morning when he had felt so ill. He had felt ready to curl up on his side and cry until he was dead.

It had been a surprise to be well taken care of by a stranger just because he was worried about the missing noises from his flat. 

“It would get rid of the smell of fresh paint,” Nino mumbled. “But would it take longer for it to dry then?”

“Only if we have a typhoon tonight. We won’t right?” Ohno asked, looking up in confusion. 

Nino couldn’t help the giggle that escaped his lips. God, his lover, was so adorable. How did he deserve that? He kissed the full lips and hummed as he shook his head. “No, it shouldn’t.”

“Then we can leave them open for the night. Just not wide open, as we are not sleeping here.”

Nino looked at him as if he was stupid for a second since he was capable of logical thinking, but he didn’t say anything, but just kissed Ohno and rubbed the spot under his eyes as he saw that there was a spot of pain. 

He stood and stretched. “Then let’s leave,” he said in the end, offering Ohno a hand to help him up. 

Ohno took it and turned around for a moment to check their paint job with a critical eye, before humming and nodding to himself. The paintwork was perfect. Tomorrow they would finally move in their furniture, and he just couldn’t wait for this to be their flat. The one space they created together. He knew that some of his colleagues thought that it was early. Not even a year after they’ve gotten together, but for them, this felt perfect, and that was all that mattered after all. 

Ohno grinned as he helped Nino to take off the overalls that he wore to protect his clothes and they finally left. Tomorrow, Ohno thought, would be one of the happiest days in his life.

**Nine Months**

Nino rolled over in bed and buried his face in the crook of Ohno’s neck, who was still sleeping at his side. He nuzzled his face against the warm skin, smiling when the faint scent of Ohno’s aftershave hit his nostrils, and he closed his eyes for a second longer. 

He tried to get back to sleep, but just as he was slowly drifting off, Ohno moved under him. He sighed as he opened his eyes and looked at the other, who opened his eyes sleepily. 

“Tired,” Ohno whispered, and Nino hummed in agreement. 

“Me too. We were up too late,” he whispered. 

Ohno chuckled in agreement and turned to the side to hug the other close to his still naked body. “But it was worth it, right?”

Nino dissolved into giggles beside him and buried his head against his chest. “Very satisfying,” he agreed, hitting Ohno slightly as he saw the smirk on his face. 

“Lazy day in bed today?” Ohno offered.

“Don’t we have to go anywhere today?”

Ohno disagreed slightly. “We made no plans so far. I wanted to take you for a walk through Shibuya.”

Nino wrinkled his nose at the idea of going out, and Ohno cupped his cheek with a fond sigh. 

“So day in bed, instead?”

“Sounds good,” Nino decided as he snuggled up on top of him once again. 

Ohno chuckled slightly, Nino could feel it more than hear it with his head on his chest and he sighed somewhat when long fingers suddenly were in his hair and played with his strands. 

Ohno hummed softly, and Nino closed his eyes, being as silent as he could as he enjoyed listening to Ohno’s voice. He sang much too seldom in his opinion, but that was one reason why he enjoyed listening to it so much when Ohno was so relaxed that he couldn’t help himself. 

Nino drifted finally off t sleep once more, and Ohno grinned when he realised that his lover was asleep again. He very carefully put him down from his chest and put the blanket over him, before stepping out of bed. He took a swift shower to get rid of the sweat of the night and their activities before preparing some breakfast for Nino and him. He slipped back into bed, caressing Nino’s back with long strokes for another half an hour or so until Nino woke up again. 

A low whine escaped Nino’s throat as there was a grumble coming from his stomach and Ohno giggled as he scooped low to kiss his lips. “I made breakfast,” he offered. 

Nino grinned and sat up. They ate in silence, and after a short shower for Nino they spend the rest of the day in bed just as they had planned, only leaving it for bathroom breaks or food. Otherwise, they were completely happy and relaxed with Ohno reading comics and Nino trying to level up in a game on his handheld console. It was a very nice change for once Ohno found when they drifted to sleep in the late evening once more. 

**Ten Months**

Ohno looked at Nino who sat at his side on the floor, staring at his guitar. Ohno didn’t know precisely why Nino had taken it out if he was honest. 

He had been amazed as he discovered that Nino owned two guitars and a keyboard when they had moved. Nino had kept them all in his wardrobe, hiding it under a heavy winter coat, but something very vulnerable had been in his face as Ohno had pulled those out, questioningly. So Ohno never spoke about the instruments. He had just silently packed them and put them back into the same space when they had moved in. 

This morning though, Nino had rummaged through the wardrobe and emerged with one of his guitars. He had sat down on a big cushion on their living room floor the guitar in front of him, staring it down as if it was an answer to a fundamental question that he had yet to decipher. 

Ohno had wanted to ask, so many times today already, but he waited. He had cleaned the rest of their apartment and made them breakfast. Nino had only nibbled on a bit before telling him he was full and the second cup of coffee Ohno had put beside him had long gotten cold. 

He was worried about the behaviour. Nino as silent often and seemed to be lost in his thoughts but Ohno had not yet seen something like that, and he really wanted to help the other or just know what was going on. 

But one thing Ohno had already learnt was that Nino would talk when he was ready. If he were pushed now, he would just push Ohno away, and that always hurt the both of them. Probably more than necessary. 

Ohno sighed as he picked up the cup of coffee to put it away and bring Nino a bottle of tea. That at least wouldn’t get cold. By the time he was back, Nino had left the room, the guitar was still where he had left it, and Ohno stared at it in wonder before he could make up his mind and look for Nino though the other man was back with a towel in his hand and sat down in front of his guitar as well. 

He carefully put it on his lap and started to clean it almost lovingly. There was a small tired and sad smile on his face, but a smile nonetheless. So Ohno decided not to worry. Whatever it was that had bothered Nino, he was sure that he had worked it out for now. Ohno left to get one of his electric cars, playing with it, when he realised that Nino was not yet ready to talk. He didn’t want to leave him alone though so he got comfortable on the sofa, his eyes on the car as to not stare at Nino all the time. 

He almost jumped in shock when the first notes rang clear through their apartment, and he looked over once again. 

Nino was hunched over his guitar, his fingers, slowly caressing the top part as he made sure that everything was alright. There was a smile on his face that Ohno mimicked without realising as Nino played for the first time since Ohno had known him a full song, getting more and more confident the longer he played.

**Eleven Months**

“Can’t we go to sleep already?” Nino said through a yawn as he tried to get comfortable on the chair in front of the window. They were in Kyoto for another vacation. It was warm this time, as expected for May. Nino was just happy that it was not yet in the height of the summer so that he could stand walking through the town and looking at the old temples that Ohno somehow liked so much. 

“Not yet,” Ohno whispered. He was sat across from him, looking way too comfortable in his bathrobe on the second chair of their room, even if he was sure that that chair was just as uncomfortable as his.

“Why?” Nino whined slightly. 

Ohno rolled his eyes in amusement as he handed Nino another glass of wine as if that made everything better. 

Nino still sipped at the drink, staring at Ohno with dark eyes as he drank from his glass, winking at him. 

“I’m tired, Oh-chan. You dragged me all over the town today.”

“We can sleep in tomorrow.”

“Oh you won’t drag me around then?”

“Sightseeing is for the afternoon,” Ohno said with a grin, laughing when Nino groaned. His favourite activities did not include running around outside and never would, but he learnt to compromise with Ohno, and generally, in the end, he had fun, even if he didn’t like to say that out loud. 

“So why am I still up?”

Ohno rolled his eyes and slipped from his chair to go over to Nino and pull him to his feet. 

Nino whined slightly as he was forced to stand on his sore feet and swayed slightly until Ohno managed to push him in front of the big window they had in their room and put his arms around his waist. 

Ohno swayed them slightly from side to side and kissed the sensitive spot right under Nino’s ear. Nino shivered and snuggled closer to Ohno, drinking another mouthful of wine. At least it was the good kind of wine, he thought. The one that tasted fruity and did not burn in his throat. The type that Nino would never pay for because it was too expensive. 

Nino stared out of the window into the darkness, opening his lips to ask again why they were still up and not in bed to have other more fun activities if Ohno deemed it too early to sleep just yet when the first star seemed to drop from the sky. 

He could feel Ohno smirk against his skin as he hugged him tighter. “Today there is supposed a star shower. I want to watch it with you,” he whispered.

“You are hopelessly romantic. You know that, right?” Nino asked with a small huff as he pressed himself even tighter against Ohno’s body if that was even possible. His eyes were on all the shooting stars. He couldn’t believe that this crazy man was still in love with him and that he always loved Ohno and it seemed much more impossible to be without him with each day. He stared at the stars, closing his eyes for a second to wish fervently that this would never end. Never had he been so sure that a person was so right for him as now. 

**Twelve Months**

It was early in the morning when Nino’s alarm rang, and he groaned, as he listened to it. He moved a bit in the bed, his arm reaching out to end the alarm when it stopped before he could reach it. 

He rubbed his face with a hand as he sat up with a loud yawn. “You can stay in bed,” he mumbled to the man sleeping beside him, but Ohno was already sitting up. 

The other man kissed his temple, making Nino smile. He couldn’t help it. 

“Get ready, and I prepare some breakfast.”

“I can eat on the way to work.”

“I like feeding you,” Ohno disagreed and kissed his cheek. “Hurry, or you’ll be late,” Ohno reminded him. 

Nino giggled and nodded as he left for the bathroom. As he got ready, Ohno closed his eyes for a second, listening to the sounds of the shower and Nino in the bathroom, remembering the time when he was just allowed to follow Nino’s morning routine through a too-thin wall and how much he had come to love those early morning hours. 

He still loved them, but it was even better to be allowed to share them with Nino himself. He climbed out of bed to prepare the promised breakfast, deciding that today a bowl of oats with bananas and coffee on the side would be filling enough as a breakfast.

Nino came back, his hair still slightly wet from the shower, and as Ohno walked past him to go to the bath as well for a few minutes, Nino tended to his small vegetable garden on the window’s sill, picking a few fresh strawberries to cut them and add them besides their bananas. 

Ohno grinned as he came back, kissing Nino’s lips now that they both had brushed their teeth. 

“Looks good.”

“Mhmm…” Nino mumbled as he sat and ate his breakfast. He was still a bit sluggish and couldn’t help as he yawned slightly. 

“I will come to the shop later. Any wishes for dinner?”

Nino shook his head. “As long as it’s edible I’m fine with it,” he mumbled, yawning again. “Sorry.”

“Didn’t sleep well?”

“Just too early,” Nino said with a small chuckle. “You were squirming half of the night.”

“Was not.”

“Were too,” Nino teased him, giggling when Ohno pouted. He finished his coffee as he got to his feet and kissed him on the lips. 

“I still love you,” he whispered against the lips, cupping his cheek. “Happy First Anniversary my technically not a stranger Oh-chan.”

Ohno smiled and tugged him down with a hand around his neck to deepen their kiss. A year and still going strong. Ohno was really glad that he had decided to look after his neighbour these twelve months ago. He couldn’t even imagine at to what he would have missed out on if he had decided otherwise. 

Nino grinned brightly as he finally stepped back, ruffling his hair. “Until later,” he said as he waved and jogged out of their flat to be on time for his work. 

Ohno smiled and shook his head as he got up to clean away their dishes. It was a very happy day indeed.


End file.
